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Urban Gourmet
Have a Ball
BY NINA MACLAUGHLIN
Previous Columns

What brings someone to Ball Square? The Tufts kids, locals, and those tired of the offerings in nearby Davis Square know something a lot of us don’t when it comes to this still-unassuming region along Broadway in Somerville. There’s no Red Line to raise the rents or the price of a slice, but it’s likely only a matter of time before Ball Square goes the way of Davis. Sound Bites has lines out the door for weekend breakfasts, and True Grounds, a coffeehouse across the street, has free wi-fi and a décor supplied by local artists. And then there’s Urban Gourmet, another Ball Square stalwart, with a sweeping menu of salads, sandwiches, pasta, and pizza. Gourmet doesn’t necessarily mean fancy; here it means fresh.

Urban Gourmet is known for its pizzas, and signs on the tables warn diners that the restaurant takes its sweet time cooking the pies. ("We think you’ll appreciate the difference," the signs add.) Each pizza is cooked for about 25 minutes, a technique that creates a rich, crispy crust. The toppings cater to those who love surf (shrimp, sea scallops), turf (linguiça, chorizo, prosciutto, chicken), and earth (grilled veggies, black olives, sweet pepper, fresh basil, spinach, onion, and more). A 14-inch pie with pepperoni and caramelized onions ($12) was salty and crisp. And the antipasto ($8.50) had sustenance enough for two, with grilled shrimp, pesto chicken, tangy potato salad, roasted eggplant and zucchini, and assorted meats and cheeses. Many of the antipasto elements return in salads, such as the grilled vegetable ($6.25); in sandwiches, including the portobello melt ($6.25) and pesto-chicken panino ($6.75); and in the pasta with shrimp sauce ($11.25) and spinach and pancetta ($9.50). Fresh soups are made daily, as are the fish specials. And Urban Gourmet makes no fuss about tailoring its meals to customers’ gustatory whims.

Urban Gourmet, located at 688 Broadway, in Somerville, is open Tuesday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday, from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Call (617) 628-2322.


Issue Date: October 15 - 21, 2004
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